HIV-1-related factors interact with p53 to influence cellular processes

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the primary epidemic strain in China. Its genome contains two regulatory genes ( tat and rev ), three structural genes ( gag , pol , and env ), and four accessory genes ( nef, vpr, vpu , and vif ). Long terminal repeats (LTRs) in thegenome regulate integration, duplication, and expression of viral gene. The permissibility of HIV-1 infection hinges on the host cell cycle status. HIV-1 replicates by exploiting various cellular processes via upregulation or downregulation of specific cellular proteins that also control viral pathogenesis. For example, HIV-1 regulates the life cycle of p53, which in turn contributes significantly to HIV-1 pathogenesis. In this article, we review the interaction between HIV-1-associated factors and p53, providing information on their regulatory and molecular mechanisms, hinting possible directions for further research.